B. pseudoregius

Boletus L.

Recent molecular studies have shown that Boletus in its current circumscription is likely an artificial grouping and it is possible that it will be split at some point into smaller genera. Note that Boletus impolitus and Boletus depilatus for practical reasons are retained here, although there is strong evidence that they are closely related to Xerocomus subtomentosus and its allies.

Fruitbody large to medium sized, boletoid, without veil and ring. Stipe solid, with surface usually covered with granules or network. Flesh variously coloured, changing or not when exposed to air. Tubes easily separable from each other, not tearing apart. Pores usually small and rounded.

Boletus pseudoregius(Huber) Estadès

Description
Cap up to 20 cm, at first hemispherical, the convex to flat-convex, dull pink, reddish brown, brownish or ochraceous with pinkish tint, dry, sometimes cracked, not blueing when bruised. Stipe cylindrical to club-shaped, sometimes tapering towards the base, in the upper parts yellow or bright yellow, in the lower 1/2 – 1/3 pale pink, pink or sometimes pinkish brown, at least in the upper half with well developed concolorous with the base or reddish network, stipe surface blueing when bruised. Flesh yellowish white or whitish in the cap, lemon yellow in the stipe, pale pink to dirty pink at the stipe base, bleuing predominantely above the tubes when exposed to air. Tubes initially lemon yellow, then yellow, finally yellow with olivaceous tint, blueing when exposed to air. Pores concolorous, blueing when bruised. Smell of young fruitbodies indistinctive, later smells of chemicals or of smoked meat. Taste not distinctive. Spores 10–14.5 × 4–5.5 μm, ratio 2.2–3.2. Pileipellis (the cap cuticle) trichodermium of interwoven septate hyphae of cylindrical incrusted cells. Chemical reactions: hyphae of the flesh in the stipe base inamyloid with Melzer’s solution.

Distribution. Not yet precisely known. In Europe apparently not seen in north and more common in south. Recorded from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Romania, Russia (Caucasus), Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and UK.

Similarity.Boletus regius is somewhat similar, but it has pink to pinkish red cap, yellow unchanging flesh and spores of different size. Boletus kluzakii has similarly coloured fruitbodies but features bitter taste. Compare also with Boletus appendiculatus and Boletus fechtneri.

Note. Some older sources list this species under the name Boletus speciosus Frost. The later is different fungus, found in North America. Other authorities prefer to use the name Boletus fuscoroseus Smotl. Being not yet familiar with Smotlacha’s original description here I prefer to keep the name B. pseudoregius.

Photographs

Well developed fruitbodies of Boletus pseudoregius. (photo B. Assyov)

Well developed fruitbodies of Boletus pseudoregius. Note the colour of the flesh. (photo B. Assyov)